I do not know where the camera is, otherwise I would post this on the picture forum. It is 1926-1928, it has a class 66 bobbin(the exact of my other machine) No manual, but it works pretty good, the table has some damange on top, and on one side has some warping, or cracking, dunno which. It is a great machine! I got it for 125$ and I am happy with it. No attachments. Any ideas how I'd find out the model number, and how to lubricate the base?
Thanks
Emily

Congratulations! I have my grandmother's from around 1919. We have a somewhat local guy who works on them.

Try google. I know there are sites out there for treadle owners. I've not visited them, but have read about them. LOL

Fantastic! Now if the power goes out, you can still sew!

What brand it is? Singer serial numbers can be tracked at their website. Others may need to be researched further.

If you can find a patent date, that would help, but patent dates may apply to just one part. It is helpful to know that an object is no older than the latest patent date on it. Can you post a picture of one like it, anda better description? Sounds like it can be restored into a gorgeous piece.

It is singer, don't know how I forgot to mention that :oops: I will post pictures when I find the camera, it did a disappering act.

http://www.singerco.com/support/serial_numbers.html at Singer lets you date them by serial number

Ooh I am so jealous! I don't have any extra room for one, but I would LOVE to get my hands on an old treadle machine. I love old things, and think treadles are fabulous.

this is a 1926 singer..my grandmother had electric added

I just love old antique machines!!! I am the proud owner of two myself!! I love sewing on my featherweight!! She is such a little workhorse!

It looks very similar, I found the camera, so I will be posting this in the Pictures forum in a few hours!
Thank you

Emily,

I also own a treadle machine. I purchased it at an antique store. I think I only paid $40. If you have any Amish or Menninite communities within a reasonable distance of you they probably have persons who service such machines. I live just south of Hanover PA. There is a machine dealer there who is a Menninite. He actually services treadle machines. I purchased a new belt from him. He even had it in stock.

I doubt if I will ever use it but it is in working order if the need ever arises.

That's on my someday list- to own a treadle sewing machine. I wish I had my Gram's, she taught me to sew on it. Such fond memories!

Was looking at my Dad's last night to see if he might have one of Gram's glass eggs she used inside socks when she darned them. They are gone. Darn! (Literally, haha)

I have an 1891 Singer Treadle machine that has a puzzle box of accessories. They are so neat! Now if I just had more time to use it. :)

Wow. A treadle. How cool is that. Can't wait to see a picture.

Ok, I'm jealous!!
Congrats on your new machine!!!

Me too..jealous! Envious and all that good stuff:)I have been looking for a bargain for quite awhile here. I had one that was in such sad shape I sold it on a deal to a guy that repairs, etc. This one was someone's plant stand years ago and the wood was ruined! As far as belts, he told me they keep them conditioned using mineral oil and if the belt is too stretched, they remove the staple in it, cut it the right lenght and put it back. I'll find one sooner or later...I want it to use when the electric goes out in an ice storm...:)Skeat

How fun! Mine needs cleaning! It was my grandmother's. She gave it to me when I was in high school. I was the only one that had my project in on time for Home Economics class. We had power outages and no one else could sew :!: It took a little getting used to-working the feet and guiding the fabric. Good for the legs.....I should get it working - save a trip to the gym :!:

:D Emily,
My mother-in-law, who did professional alterations, has a Singer treadle and uses it more than her other Singer. She has better control for slow stitching especially. It will be great for your piecing. Keep us posted.

judee

Here is a link to the pictures :)
http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/17049.page

Congrats on your new baby!! Can't wait to see pictures.

How wonderful! Let us see what you make with it! :lol:

Love that machine. It looks just like the one my mother had and on which I learned to sew. She started me using it when I was only 7. For some reason, I had a hard time keeping my fingers, mainly my thumb, away from the needle. I ram the needle through my thumb so many times that I learned not to jerk it but to hold still and carefully back the needle out.

You can put it back to Treadle even if it's been electricfied ,I have the motor and Treadle on mine except 1 is only on the Treadle. Very Handy when Power is Out a Long time. Open the curtains and Sew and Quilt!!!

Congratulations!!! I'm blessed to have my Mom's Treadle with attachments. I absolutely love it!!! Not sure what year it was made though, I guess I'll have to do some research.

Congratulations! I had an old treadle machine, with the puzzle box of attachments, when my children were babies, and I was, well, very poor. I made all the curtains for my children's rooms on it, complete with ruffles for the girls. I was able to put the prettiest hem on miles and miles of ruffles in no time at all, because one of the little attachments was a cool hemming foot. My girls were the envy of their friends for those pretty curtains.

I may have to look for another one of those. I sold it when I could afford a better machine, I have now a Pfaff that I bought back in the early 80's. You know, because of those ruffles, I got to where I could so really fast on that treadle machine, and the only thing I missed having was the zigzag.

The other cool thing about it was that the bobbins held more thread, so I didn't have to rewind the bobbin so much.

I received my dh's grandmother's treadle and have not used it yet. Have not got a sewing room set up so I am waiting patiently, since dh promised to clear out extra bedroom to make me a sewing room. My father-in-law gave me the treadle, but DH's sister wanted to sell it. So F.I.L gave it to me know I would treasure it and keep it in the family and use when I got the sewing room up. Its a singer, it looks to be an 1850-1900 model. My grandmother had one that she made all her quilts on but my cousin who doesn't sew got that one so it just sits and gathers dusts, makes me upset. What a waste! These are made to be used!! And for me treasured!! My Aunt is going to show me how to use mine, since she used my grandma's when she was a girl, I want to use it the right way, and not ruin the machine. History is in those treadles! LOTS and LOTS of HISTORY!!!

Congratulations! I also love the old machines. I have 5 old machines, and 2 new. There's something about making a quilt on an old machine. It just feels right !! My favorite to sew on is my featherweights. Recently I purchased an 1893 Singer hand crank in a beautiful wooden box. I don't use it, but it is in great working order.

If you go to Ebay, you will be able to find accessories, needles, etc.

Enjoy your machine!!
:wink:

I bought my Singer treadle machine in the 60's at a flea market for $15. I use it everyday and love it. I have another machine (power), but prefer to use the treadle. I used the Singer website to find out it was a 1913. The local Singer store services them and sells belts. This wonderful machine has made baby clothes for my kids, and now clothes for my grandkids, also baby quilts and lap robes for hospice patients. It's my best friend !

My son acquired (and gave to me) an old Stitchmaster (Model 502, made in 1961), including the sturdy wooden cabinet. However, it doesn't have the bobbin holder or any other parts ... just the machine and the cabinet. I have not even plugged it in to see if it runs. However, I found Stitchmaster manufacturing alive and well in the UK and sent them an e-mail. I got no response. I looked on-line at antique sewing machines and the only Stitchmaster item was a pricey book. Are any of you familiar with Stitchmaster? I'd love to find a source where I might get the bobbin holder and bobbins; THEN I'd plug the machine into a wall socket to see if it works, but unless I can get parts, I don't even care if it works. Weezie

I have found leather belts on e-bay for those ol' treadles. If it is just to clean, then raid hubbies auto cleaning supplies and do it yourself. I did and one of mine had a packing case I had to cut my own cork piece and repack with grease. Beyond that, timing etc, take it to some one who knows.

Congratulations! What a great find! I have my great-grandmother's White treadle. My Mom learned how to sew on it back in the 20s-30s. You may not be able to find any kind of manual for yours, but I purchased a book "The Complete Guide to Treadle Sewing Machines" by Reuben O. Doyle from Clothilde's website ($24.95). He says he is a sewing machine repairman who has worked on these machines for over 25 years. The book is generic (but the machines are all basically the same) and covers everything from oiling the treadle to changing the belt to adjusting the tension and how to use some of the attachments. I thought it was a good investment.

My DH surprised me on my birthday a few years ago with a treadle Singer.
The patented dates on the throat are 1880, 1886, and 1896. The machine has really seen a lot of use. Decals on the head show a lot of wear and the veneer on the cabinet is damaged. I don't know the name of the piece, but the head is covered with a type of box cover (very ornate wood.) I would love to have it restored or at least repaired enough for me to use it. The wheels turn well and it only needs a belt and bobbin. I don't have a clue where to bring it in our area. For now it just sits in my sewing room taking up space.

Congratulations! I had my great aunt's old treadle machine and wanted to use the top as an end table. We actually threw out the machine and my husband took off the part of the top that opens and slipcovered the entire top with one flat piece of wood. It looks great and is wonderful as a flat table, but in my old age, I sure wish that we had kept the machine and left the table alone. I now have it in my quilting studio in our new house with an antique two drawer Coats spool chest and a collection of old wooden bobbins on top of it. Above that on the wall, I have a framed collection of old Coats and/or Clarks (when they were still separate companies) advertising cards. One of them is dated 1884. My husband mounted and framed them for me for Christmas last year. I also have an antique wooden ironing board and 6 antique flat irons and an antique child size wooden ironing board and child size flatiron. The other antiques I have in the studio are a collection of darning eggs in a basket and a collection of old red/gold Chinese bobbins, most of which are hand carved. I got those when we lived in Shanghai, China for 3.5 years...very cheap over there and quite decorative. They would have been used for rewinding embroidery floss type thread. Now I am on the lookout for old wooden spools. I guess I am a compulsive collector. I will post some photos of my studio sometime. Enjoy your treadle machine!!
Wendy

I know how you feel about throwing out the old machine. We left one (my MIL's) out IN THE OLD BARN. It's no longer there so we think it was probably hauled to the dump or burned. [We had also left a beveled mirror out there.] I have a few old wooden thread spools (with the thread :wink: ) from my early sewing days (and from my grandmother's sewing box). I don't know if they're antique" but since I'm practically antique, I suppose they are, too. :lol: By the way, how old does something have to be to be considered "antique"?

Gail,
I have always been told that for sturdy things, like furniture, an object must be 100 years old or older to be considered an antique and breakable things like glassware and china must be at least 50 years old. I guess it depends on the country. We bought many antiques when we lived in China. When we were ready to move home again, the Government sent someone from the Antiquities Bureau to come to our home and evaluate all of our antique purchases. Each piece received a red wax stamp and had to be less than 200 years old to leave the country. I imagine that was to protect their heritage and make sure that Ming vases or Tang horses were not leaving the country. We had no problems as nothing was that old! The rules for antique boats and cars are different. They become "Classic" before becoming antique, but I don't remember the ages.

Maybe there is a quilter who is an antique dealer who would have better information. Wendy

Several years ago, I saw something interesting on TV. They took an old treadle, removed the machine, re-did the hinges to the back. Then put on a mirror, built a box for the opening and ta da a vanity dresser. They also painted it white for that white chic look. The drawers were reinforced for their new job.

Thanks Wendy. Very interesting. So I suppose it'll be a while until I'm considered antique. Now, go tell that to my kids. :lol:

:D Got pics of MIL's 90 year old Singer treadle. Looks a lot like yours. How are you enjoying yours?
judee[img]

For a car, 30 years is antique, and 20 years is a classic. As far as other things, I don't know. My parents have an old cast iron sink that was recently removed from Dad's "shop". It had been in there for a long time. We moved there about 25 years ago, and who knows how long it was in there before that? On the bottom, it says Richmond. The date was somewhere around (and I can't remember for sure. I didn't write it down) 05-22-44 (or 46?). Then somehwere else it has the dates of 1814 (or 1816)-44. So....is that thing old or what!? It's to my uneducated-in-antiques-opinion, in very good shape!

I also have a Singer treadle. I think mine is a 1908 model that came out of New Jersey. Mine was "seized up", and the big, long metal bar/shaft that runs through the inside of the machine was broken when we tried to fix it. My mom gave it to me a couple years ago. Maybe I can get it fixed someday. My aunt has one that is in better shape. She used to sew with it; it was her only machine. She left it in her house when she moved into her new home (right beside her old home), and they turned the old home into a storage area. She hasn't been able to get in there to make sure it is OK (health issues) and hasn't been leaked on or anything.